In situ biological beneficiation of peat in the production of hydrocarbon fuels

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for in situ biological beneficiation of peat and hydraulic harvesting of organic carbonaceous material from a peat deposit. The process is particularly suitable for production of hydrocarbon fuel from peat wherein peat is contact in situ in a peat deposit with an aqueous solution of hydrolysis promoting agent hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of the peat to produce hydrolysis products, passing the hydrolysis products to an active fermentation zone in situ in the peat deposit to produce fermentation products, passing the fermentation products, remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from the peat by the aqueous solution to a biological or chemical process for conversion to hydrocarbon fuel. This process provides peat deposit management while providing beneficiation of the carbonaceous material for improved conversion efficiency by chemical or biological conversion to hydrocarbon liquid or gaseous fuels.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for production of gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuel from peat comprising: introducing an aqueous solution comprising hydrolysis promotion agent to a first zone of a natural peat deposit in situ at or near the surface of the earth and passing said aqueous solution through said first zone contacting said peat in said deposit forming in situ an active hydrolysis zone and hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat to produce hydrolysis products;   passing said hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution from said hydrolysis zone to a second zone adjacent said hydrolysis zone of said natural peat deposit forming in situ an active fermentation zone and fermenting a portion of said hydrolysis products to produce liquid fermentation products;   passing said liquid fermentation products, remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution out of said fermentation zone and out of said natural peat deposit by hydraulic means to an ex situ process for conversion to hydrocarbon fuel; and   converting said liquid fermentation products, remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat to said gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuel by conversion in a biological or chemical process accepting feeds having high water content.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is oxygen which forms an active aerobic zone thereby hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 2 wherein the oxygen concentration in said active aerobic zone is maintained at about 2 to 10 milligrams per liter dissolved oxygen. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is an acidic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 1 to 5 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 4 wherein said acidic material is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is a basic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 9 to 11 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 6 wherein said basic material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
       8. In a process for production of hydrocarbon liquid fuel comprising alcohol from peat by fermentation, the improvement comprising the steps: introducing an aqueous solution comprising hydrolysis promotion agent to a first zone of a natural peat deposit in situ at or near the surface of the earth and passing said aqueous solution through said first zone contacting said peat in said deposit forming in situ an active hydrolysis zone and hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat to produce hydrolysis products;   passing said hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution from said hydrolysis zone to a second zone adjacent said hydrolysis zone of said natural peat deposit forming in situ an active fermentation zone and fermenting a portion of said hydrolysis products to produce liquid fermentation products;   passing said liquid fermentation products, remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution out of said fermentation zone and out of said natural peat deposit by hydraulic means to an ex situ active alcohol producing fermentation digester.   
     
     
       9. The process of claim 8 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is oxygen which forms an active aerobic zone thereby hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein the oxygen concentration in said active aerobic zone is maintained at about 2 to 10 milligrams per liter dissolved oxygen. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 8 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is an acidic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 1 to 5 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 11 wherein said acidic material is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 8 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is a basic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 9 to 11 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 13 wherein said basic material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
       15. A process for in situ conversion of organic carbonaceous material in a peat deposit to hydrolysis products, liquid fermentation products, and leached organic carbonaceous materials which are amenable to biological or chemical action to produce gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuels and hydraulic harvesting said hydrolysis products, liquid fermentation products and leached organic carbonaceous material from said peat deposit comprising: introducing an aqueous solution comprising hydrolysis promotion agent to a first zone of a natural peat deposit in situ at or near the surface of the earth and passing said aqueous solution through said first zone thereby contacting said peat in said deposit and forming in situ an active hydrolysis zone and hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat to produce hydrolysis products;   passing said hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution from said hydrolysis zone to a second zone adjacent said hydrolysis zone of said natural peat deposit and forming in situ an active fermentation zone and fermenting a portion of said hydrolysis products to produce liquid fermentation products; and   passing said liquid fermentation products, remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution out of said fermentation zone and out of said natural peat deposit by hydraulic means to an ex situ active methanogenic anaerobic digester to produce a hydrocarbon gaseous fuel.   
     
     
       16. The process of claim 15 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is oxygen which forms an active aerobic zone thereby hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       17. The process of claim 16 wherein the oxygen concentration in said active aerobic zone is maintained at about 2 to 10 milligrams per liter dissolved oxygen. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim 15 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is an acidic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 2 to 5 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim 18 wherein said acidic material is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. 
     
     
       20. The process of claim 15 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is a basic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 9 to 11 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       21. The process of claim 20 wherein said basic material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
       22. A process for in situ conversion of organic carbonaceous material in a peat deposit to hydrolysis products, liquid fermentation products, and leached organic carbonaceous materials which are amenable to biological or chemical action to produce gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuels and hydraulic harvesting said hydrolysis products, liquid fermentation products and leached organic carbonaceous material from said peat deposit comprising: introducing an aqueous solution comprising hydrolysis promotion agent to a first zone of a natural peat deposit in situ at or near the surface of the earth and passing said aqueous solution through said first zone and contacting said peat in said deposit thereby forming in situ an active hydrolysis zone and hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat to produce hydrolysis products;   passing said hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution from said hydrolysis zone to a second zone adjacent said hydrolysis zone of said natural peat deposit and forming in situ an active fermentation zone and fermenting a portion of said hydrolysis products contained therein to produce liquid fermentation products; and   passing said liquid fermentation products remaining hydrolysis products and organic carbonaceous materials leached from said peat by said aqueous solution out of said fermentation zone and out of said natural in situ peat deposit by hydraulic means.   
     
     
       23. The process of claim 22 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is oxygen which forms an active aerobic zone thereby hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       24. The process of claim 23 wherein the oxygen concentration in said active aerobic zone is maintained at about 2 to 10 milligrams per liter dissolved oxygen. 
     
     
       25. The process of claim 22 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is an acidic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 1 to 5 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       26. The process of claim 25 wherein said acidic material is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. 
     
     
       27. The process of claim 22 wherein said hydrolysis promoting agent is a basic material which is non-inhibitory to desired microorganisms for said active fermentation zone and forms an active hydrolysis zone having a pH of about 9 to 11 hydrolyzing organic carbonaceous components of said peat. 
     
     
       28. The process of claim 27 wherein said basic material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide.